China's first new energy seaplane production plant will land in Faku county, Liaoning province.

As the complete assembly, commissioning, testing, maintenance and support base of the new energy seaplanes produced by Rhyexon General Aircraft, the plant has a total construction area of 8,836 square meters.

When it's completed, it will have an annual output capacity of 30 to 50 complete aircrafts. With the development of the company's series of electric aircraft, the plant will also produce four hydroelectric aircraft, achieving an annual output value of more than 100 million yuan ($15.5 million).

The first model to be put into production was the RX1E-S two-seater hydroelectric aircraft, which was developed by the Liaoning General Aviation Research Institute in 2018 and flew for the first time in August 2019.

The aircraft has a length of 6.78 meters, a wingspan of 14.5 meters, a height of 3 meters, a rated power of 60 kW and a maximum power of 80 kW.

Equipped with a high-efficiency electric propulsion system, the model uses the Ruixiang series electric aircraft as its platform and is designed according to the water surface takeoff and landing conditions.

The double floats are designed with a full carbon fiber multiwatertight compartment structure to improve structural weight efficiency and water surface safety.

The RX1E-S sea electric aircraft has completed low-speed, medium-speed, high-speed taxiing, low-altitude flying, airspace flight and other subjects tests.

It has accumulated more than 200 hours of flight time and more than 1,000 take-offs and landings. It will be launched in December.

Yang Fengtian, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, honorary president of the Shenyang Aerospace University, chief scientist of the Liaoning General Aviation Research Institute, made a trip to the Shenyang General Aviation Industry Base. There, Yang discussed the project and helped to improve related infrastructure construction while providing a guarantee for general aviation operations.

Yang greatly values the status and role of Caihu Airport in Faku as the development base of the general aviation industry in Liaoning.

"Faku is the main battlefield for the transformation and application of the scientific research achievements in the general aviation industry," Yang said. "The construction of a new energy seaplane factory allows us to use the excellent water resources in the base to increase the development of independently developed new energy seaplanes while also relying on the advantages of the Faku conditions." After years of hard work, Liaoning has formed a strong supporting capacity in resources, industry, science and education, talents, and infrastructure. It has accumulated strong development potential and can compete in the general aviation industry.

Xu Qiang, head of Faku, said: "We must set up a special project team for the new energy seaplane factory."

Faku has always focused on the cultivation and development of the general aviation industry. With the strong support of the state, provinces and cities, it has seized the opportunity of national policies and utilized the advantages of low-altitude airspace.

After more than 10 years of development, the general aviation industry has become one of the three leading industries in Faku, achieving a substantial leap in its development.

Shenyang Faku General Aviation Industry Base has become an important part of Shenyang's building of a 100 billion yuan aviation industry chain. It is a trump card in the general aviation industry for Liaoning to build a strong aviation province.

CHINA DAILY

Visitors watch the launch of the seaplanes in Shenyang.